Today Migszol Csoport organizes a solidarity demonstrationandfestival at Keleti from 4pm to 8 pm: many artists and speakers are going to climb the stage to share the message of solidarity, power of the citizens and the strength of our society. The goal of the event is to send a clear political message to all governments of Europe: build the policies with solidarity, not with borders, allow people seeking protection a safe passage through Hungary, and do not deport them back to Serbia.

Today is about celebrating the spirit of compassion, activism and volunteerism in the Hungarian society. It is a 4-hour festival of solidarity with both those who are passing through Hungary on their way to safety, as well as with those helping.The wave of mobilization in the Hungarian society clearly shows that the people do not approve the brutal policies of the government. Today is also part of a Europe wide movement for welcoming refugees - and asking them to stay with us.

Picture by Balazs Turay

In the last months, it has become clear that the Hungarian state has failed its responsibility to process the asylum applications in decent reception conditions, and it has also discouraged integration of refugees by a government-led xenophobic poster campaign. For these as well as other reasons, Migszol stands in solidarity with the people who are passing through Hungary in their search of international protection.

Faced with the inability of the government to provide refugees neither with any information or humane conditions, Hungarian volunteers have taken the place of the state. This incredible wave of humanitarian civil response has mobilized Hungarians unlike anything in recent years. At Migszol, we feel nothing but respect and awe at civil initiatives such as Migration Aid as well as other countless groups that have become experts in humanitarian aid in the course of a few months. We especially respect and appreciate the support and solidarity that other marginalized groups in Hungary have expressed with refugees, namely the Hungarian Roma community and people without a home or who live in unstable housing. The Government, meanwhile, has designed more and more draconian laws to demonize refugees and asylum seekers by sending army to its borders, create a state of emergency where by human rights laws will be suspended, and people seeking protection will be deported to Serbia nearly automatically.

After this summer it is also clear that a situation this big cannot, and should not, be solved with only volunteer work - especially if it’s done on behalf of the government. This event is for recognizing that all civilians need to take political action to make a change. Both the national governments and the European Union bodies have to listen to their civil society, take full responsibility of people on their territory regardless of their legal status, and base it’s work on human rights. This summer has shown us that political change comes only with civic involvement.